Joseph Persky Foundation
The Joseph Persky Foundation is a private foundation based in Worcester, Massachusetts. Established in 1946, it operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with no employees and functions as a grantmaking entity supporting various nonprofit organizations.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$6.1M
+11.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$293K
+19.3% YoY
Grant Count
31
-3.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$9K
+23.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Joseph Persky Foundation reported a distributable amount of $281K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation primarily funds grantees to enable them to continue their exempt functions. Primary funding focus areas include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Arts
- Creative Writing
- Historic Buildings
- Journalism
Grantmaking
Grant descriptions are typically characterized as enabling donees to continue their exempt functions.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Massachusetts, New York, and the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total Assets: $6,121,486
- Total Giving: $292,500
- Total Revenues: $443,633
- Total Expenses: $311,213
- Investment Income and Dividends: $125,407
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $6,121,486 | $5,512,792 | $4,782,969 |
| Revenue | $443,633 | $108,666 | $128,606 |
| Expenses | $311,213 | $261,381 | $312,762 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $292,500 | $245,175 | $290,500 |
| Net Investment Income | $429,242 | $102,315 | $109,419 |
| Distributable Amount | $280,528 | $252,111 | $284,031 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
161 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Jewish Federation of Central Mass ($54,000), Music Worcester ($30,000), Jewish Healthcare Center ($25,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN RED CROSS MEDFORD, MA | ENABLE DONEE TO CONTINUE EXEMPT FUNCTION | $22,000 |
| ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE NEW YORK, NY | ENABLE DONEE TO CONTINUE EXEMPT FUNCTION | $15,000 |
| ARTS WORCESTER-ENDOWMENT WORCESTER, MA | ENABLE DONEE TO CONTINUE EXEMPT FUNCTION | $5,000 |
| ARTS WORCESTER-PRIZEENDOWMENT WORCESTER, MA | ENABLE DONEE TO CONTINUE EXEMPT FUNCTION | $5,000 |
| ASSOCIATION FOR AUTISM AND NEURODIVERSITY WATERTOWN, MA | ENABLE DONEE TO CONTINUE EXEMPT FUNCTION | $10,000 |
| BANCROFT SCHOOL WORCESTER, MA | ENABLE DONEE TO CONTINUE EXEMPT FUNCTION | $5,000 |
| CLARK HILLEL WORCESTER, MA | ENABLE DONEE TO CONTINUE EXEMPT FUNCTION | $500 |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS NEW YORK, NY | ENABLE DONEE TO CONTINUE EXEMPT FUNCTION | $1,000 |
| GALE FREE LIBRARY HOLDEN, MA | ENABLE DONEE TO CONTINUE EXEMPT FUNCTION | $500 |
| HANOVER THEATRE WORCESTER, MA | ENABLE DONEE TO CONTINUE EXEMPT FUNCTION | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
No leadership information is provided in available sources.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAVID A PERSKY | PRES.,TREAS & DIRECTOR | — | — |
| MARLENE PERSKY | SECRETARY & DIRECTOR | — | — |
| SUZANNE G PERSKY | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| WARREN E PERSKY | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| LAUREN PERSKY | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| JOSEPH PERSKY | DIRECTOR | — | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Joseph Persky Foundation fund?
The foundation primarily funds grantees to enable them to continue their exempt functions. Primary funding focus areas include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Arts • Creative Writing • Historic Buildings • Journalism
How do I apply for a grant from Joseph Persky Foundation?
**Grant Amounts:** Typical awards range from $500 to $54,000. **Recent Grant Activity:** In 2024, the foundation made 36 grants totaling $292,500. Recent grantees include: • Music Worcester ($30,000) • Jewish Healthcare Center ($25,000) • Institute of Contemporary Art/ICA ($25,000) Grant descriptions are typically characterized as enabling donees to continue their exempt functions.
Where does Joseph Persky Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Massachusetts, New York, and the District of Columbia.
What size grants does Joseph Persky Foundation award?
In 2024, Joseph Persky Foundation awarded 31 grants totaling $293K — an average of about $9K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Joseph Persky Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Joseph Persky Foundation reported a distributable amount of $281K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Joseph Persky Foundation's EIN?
Joseph Persky Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-6057747. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Joseph Persky Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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